Hon. Elizabeth Gwaunza

Country:Zimbabwe

Court:International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Elected in 2008

Positions Held:
Admitted as a legal practitioner of the High Court of Zimbabwe in 1987
Co-founded and was the National Coordinator of the Women and Law in Southern Africa
Research Project (WLSA) (1989 – 1995)
The first Director, Legal Affairs, Ministry of Community Development and Women’s Affairs,
Zimbabwe
Director of Legal Aid, Ministry of Justice, Zimbabwe

Other Experience:Served on the boards of many women’s non-governmental organizations, including Musasa Project (a research and counseling trust for women victims of domestic and other violence) and the Women’s Leadership and Governance Institute
Chairperson of the Wills and Inheritance Project (a joint venture of DFID and the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs) – a multimedia communication project to educate the community, judicial officers, and NGOs about the laws of inheritance
Founding member and past President of the Zimbabwe Association of Women Judges
Member of the International Association of Women Judges
Attended countless national, regional, and international workshops, seminars, and conferences on women and other development issues

Notable Firsts:
One of two black female law students who were the first to graduate in Zimbabwe

Education:
Diploma in Women’s Law, Women’s Law Centre, Zimbabwe
Diploma in Legislative Drafting
Diploma in Adult Education
Certificate in Gender Studies and Development
Masters degree in Women and Gender Development (Honorary), Women’s University in Africa

Judge Gwaunza (1953) was admitted as a legal practitioner of the High Court of Zimbabwe in 1987. In addition, she has sat on the boards of many women’s Non-Governmental Organizations, including Musasa Project (a research and counseling trust for women victims of domestic and other violence) and the Women’s Leadership and Governance Institute. She was the Chairperson of the Wills and Inheritance Project – a joint venture of DFID and the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. This was a multimedia communication project to educate the community, judicial officers, and NGOs about the laws of inheritance. Judge Gwaunza was a founding member and past President of the Zimbabwe Association of Women Judges. Furthermore, she is a member of several women’s organizations; in particular, she co-founded and was the National Coordinator of the Women and Law in Southern Africa Research Project (WLSA) from 1989-1995. She has attended countless national, regional, and international workshops, seminars, and conferences on women and other development issues.

Interview

To go directly to your topic of choice, please click on the “Playlist” button on the upper left-hand corner of the video player to display the drop down menu. Click on the topic you wish to view.